[08/12/09 - 09:55 AM]America's Next Top Model Makes History by Featuring Women 5'7" and Under During Cycle 13's Two-Hour Premiere on Wednesday, September 9 on the CwThe CW details the 14 participants on the new season of "America's Next Top Model."

[via press release from The CW]

"AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL" MAKES HISTORY BY FEATURING WOMEN 5'7" AND UNDER DURING CYCLE 13's TWO-HOUR PREMIERE ON WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9 ON THE CW

August 12, 2009 (Burbank, California) � The CW's hit series AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL breaks the mold for cycle 13 by offering women 5'7" and under (below the industry height standard) the chance to become America's Next Top Model. Fourteen hopefuls from across the country are given the chance to prove they have what it takes when the competition kicks off with a two-hour premiere on Wednesday, September 9 (8:00-10:00 p.m. ET), with encore performances on Fridays (9:00-10:00 p.m. ET).

"AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL" CYCLE 13 PARTICIPANTS:

Name: ASHLEY

Age: 22

Hometown: Chicago, Illinois (currently Brooklyn, New York)

Occupation: Artist

Height: 5'6"

Name: BIANCA

Age: 21

Hometown: Columbia, South Carolina (currently Washington, D.C.)

Occupation: Student

Height: 5'7"

Name: BRITTANY

Age: 21

Hometown: Livermore, California (currently Santa Clara, California)

Occupation: Student

Height: 5'5"

Name: COURTNEY

Age: 22

Hometown: Plantation, Florida (currently Fort Lauderdale, Florida)

Occupation: Cheer Instructor

Height: 5'4"

Name: ERIN

Age: 18

Hometown: Kenosha, Wisconsin (currently Spring Grove, Illinois)

Occupation: Student

Height: 5'6"

Name: JENNIFER

Age: 23

Hometown: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (currently New York, New York)

Occupation: Model

Height: 5'5"

Name: KARA

Age: 19

Hometown: Fort Wayne, Indiana (currently Chicago, Illinois)

Occupation: Student

Height: 5'7"

Name: LAURA

Age: 19

Hometown: Stanford, Kentucky

Occupation: Waitress

Height: 5'6"

Name: LISA

Age: 19

Hometown: Queens, New York

Occupation: Student

Height: 5'5"

Name: LULU

Age: 19

Hometown: Brooklyn, New York

Occupation: Student

Height: 5'7"

Name: NICOLE

Age: 18

Hometown: Louisville, Colorado

Occupation: Student

Height: 5'7"

Name: RACHEL

Age: 18

Hometown: Woodland, California

Occupation: Customer Service

Height: 5'5"

Name: RAE

Age: 21

Hometown: Rochester, Minnesota

Occupation: Homemaker/Mother

Height: 5'6"

Name: SUNDAI

Age: 18

Hometown: Bakersfield, California

Occupation: Student

Height: 5'3"

Banks leads the panel of AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL judges, comprised of leading fashion industry experts. The panel consists of photographer Nigel Barker, runway expert J. Alexander and guest judges � including Lauren Conrad and Kim Kardashian � who closely evaluate the progress of the models to narrow the field each week.

The winner of The CW's AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL will be managed by Wilhelmina Models, receive a $100,000 contract with cosmetics giant CoverGirl and appear on the cover and in a six-page fashion spread of Seventeen magazine.

AMERICA'S NEXT TOP MODEL is produced by 10 by 10 Entertainment, in association with Bankable Productions. Tyra Banks is the creator and executive producer along with Ken Mok ("Making the Band") and Daniel Soiseth ("Hell's Kitchen").